Wednesday, April 11, 2012

From my collection: Robert Holton, Daral Hudson

The following was submitted to the Imdb by Denise Inglis:

Born in Dallas, Texas, the son of Church of Christ preacher, A. R. Holton, Robert Wilson Holton [1919-1996] attended Abilene Christian College (Abilene, Texas) where he majored in Speech and Drama. He got his first big break in freshman year when he entered a MGM Search for Talent contest and won a screen test in Hollywood. Despite his early successes he elected to finish college and graduated from the University of Texas. After graduation he worked at WFAA in Dallas and then returned to Hollywood, using the stage name "Robert Wilson". He is known for having portrayed Jesus Christ in several movies including "Family Theatre: I Beheld His Glory" (1953) (as Robert Wilson), "Family Theatre" (1949)'s episode "I Beheld His Glory (1953)", The Living Christ Series (1951) (a 12-episode film series) and also on stage in "The Pilgrimage Play". After 16 years in Hollywood he returned to Abilene, Texas to work as announcer and host of the "Herald of Truth" radio and TV program. He passed away in Abilene in 1996 and is buried there. He was a member of the Highland Church of Christ.

There never need be a black market in movie acting talent. So says George Seaton, youngest director at 20th Century-Fox, who has just finished making Junior Miss, starring Peggy Ann Garner. It was one of that studio's most expensive story purchases. "I attended our little-theater presentation of 'Doughgirl' the other night," says Seaton, "and I came away with the thought that if I were a star under contract I'd never let down for a second. I'd keep pitching for all I was worth in the knowledge that the studio has a million dollars in talent ready to jump in and take my place. "There was a big young ex-soldier named Daral Hudson. I'd say he was ready right now to play leads opposite top stars. There was an ex-marine, John Russell— just six feet, four— who will read his name in lights within a year. And there was a girl, Colecn Grey— I'd like to own part of her contract." In the opinion of Seaton, [t]here is no need to seek acting talent. ”The talent is here, an unending supply,” he says. Well, George Seaton was partially correct regarding John Russell and Coleen Gray, who became B-list stars on television and in noir movies respectively, but, sadly, dead wrong when it came to Daral Hudson who, though as handsome as the next guy, only managed the usual walk-ons. Hudson earned his best chances playing police officers in two Universal serials, The Royal Mounted Rides Again (1945) and The Mysterious Mr. M. (1946), the latter ending the studio's four decades in the chapterplay producing business.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Search This Blog

About Me

For six years I was as an associate editor with www.allmovie.com, specializing in classic Hollywood B-Films. In my spare time, I published "Strangers in Hollywood" (Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow press, 1994) and "Vixens Floozies and Molls" (Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co., 1999 & 2003). I'm retired now but I still watch B-Movies and this site is a personal outlet for my extant review cravings. But feel free to comment on my comments.